Can staying at home give your allergies

Can staying at home give you allergies?

Oh yes it can!

We expect the outside world to be full of hazards and exposures to vile bugs and environmental gunk. When we go home, we pull the front door shut, take off our coat and put on our PJs. We have a natural expectation of security. That includes a presumption that our home is not a hostile habitat.

For allergy sufferers and those with respiratory ailments, the home can often be a toxic mix. Airborne toxins, microscopic fiends and noxious fumes abound. This can make them quite ill.

Have you have been feeling awful lately, and does it seems to get worse when you are at home?

Here are some interesting facts and snippets.

The UK is leading the polls for the highest prevalence of allergic conditions in the world. Over 20% of UK citizens have one or more allergic disorder.
After colds and flu; allergic rhinitis is the most common form of rhinitis.
Between 10% and 30% of all adults and as many as 40% of children suffer from allergic rhinitis.
Only 30% of pensioners are likely to suffer from allergies. But as many as 50% of younger adults, particularity women may have one.1

What are the symptoms of these reactions?

Allergic rhinitis - Sneezing, itching, runny or blocked nose.
Conjunctivitis - Itchy, red or watering eyes.
Asthma – chest tightness, wheezing, shortness of breath and a cough.

What strange things are causing these symptoms?

All the symptoms listed above can be symptoms of an allergy to something in your home. Even the house-proud-super-cleaners can fall victim to this. Sneezing and stuffiness, dripping noses and leaky, puffy eye sockets - it's not pretty.

Dust is a mixture of our dead skin cells with a bit of mould thrown in. Dust mites are little microscopic fellas who feed on this. It's their poo that can cause a problem for allergy sufferers. Classy eh?

Not only are our lovely fluffy pets great at catching allergens in their hair, coats and whiskers. They have dander, and proteins in their urine and saliva. These can also trigger an allergic reaction in some people. This is a double whammy.

If your home is damp and prone to condensation, it may contain more mould than is desirable. Some types of mould produce allergens, toxins and irritants. These can trigger allergic reactions like runny noses, red eyes and skin rashes.

What is an ‘allergen’?

Anything to which your immune system takes a dislike, interacting with the immune system's antibodies to provoke a reaction.

Why is this happening?

Any allergic reaction is caused by the body's own immune system. Ordinarily it works to protect us from harmful foreign invaders like virus, bacteria, toxins and parasites. Sometimes it can overreact. Something like pet dander, chemical fumes, or dust mite poo can trigger a reaction. A chemical called histamine is released to in an attempt to defeat an invader by causing inflammation. This is what can cause the puffy sore eyes, wheezing, sneezing and runny noses. Unfortunately, your own immune system attack is damaging you whilst tackling the invader.

What can I do about it?

Do you think you may be allergic to something in your home?

The first thing to do is to try and identify the substance that is kicking off the allergic reaction.

If your symptoms are severe, your GP may be able to help you identify what it is that you may be allergic to. Or you can be your own private detective. Ask yourself, is my house dusty, damp or mouldy? Am I better when I go outside? Have my symptoms got worse since Tiddles the cat came to live with us? Is my new carpet cleaner making me sneeze? If you know what you are allergic to, you can then take measures to reduce the allergens in your house. This will help control your symptoms.

Use natural cleaning products and toiletries. The strong perfumes and chemicals used in these products may be allergens. They also irritate a respiratory system that is already inflamed or reactive. Natural cleaning products are kinder, both to you and the environment.

Treat the symptoms. You can do this by reducing histamine levels. Vitamin C is a natural anti-histamine. So try get plenty of foods rich in this into you, like fresh fruits and vegetables. Lovely young spring nettle will lower histamine levels too, if you can get your hands (with gloves) on it. Nettle can be dried and made into a tea, or used like spinach when making pesto or soup. An organic tincture may be a nice cheat if this sounds like too much work.

Use A.Vogel's Pollinosan Hayfever tablets. This is a licenced natural remedy for the relief of the symptoms of both allergic rhinitis and hay fever. It also comes as a nasal spray for when you are super-sneezy. Use both them together if you need to.

Look after your immune system - Make sure that you are getting enough sleep. This is important to keep the immune system functioning well.

Look after your digestive system – a whopping 70% of your immune cells live in your gut. Look after them by getting enough fibre, and consider taking Molkosan occasionally. Avoid foodstuffs that aggravate your gut.

Visit your GP if you are run down, anaemic or suspect that your vitamin D levels are low. All of these factors will impact your immune system and your ability to cope with allergies.

And finally, drink more water to keep your mucous membranes nice and juicy. Dehydration will aggravate any symptom of an allergy caused by allergic rhinitis.